Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-12-15
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.


harbor improvements, ana for the military
establishment and tue army and military
academy The Secretary strongly approves OF
sheridan's report touching the extern
sion OF all possible all by the General
Government to the national guard of the
different Statos and suggesting a system OF ma
tional encampment for state militia ut the en-
tire expense OF the National Government At
tention is called to the fact that the Pacific
coast is destitute Of Notifications, guns and
armament Of every description. while San Fran
cisco Is without a single gun which can DO fired
sna moSSr WIN Oh
Generals recommendation that the present
5000 men and particular attention is called TO
the importance Of an increase OF the artillery.
In concluding his report the Secretary says:
-The result of the examinations for promotion
under the civil-service regulations which were
applied TO the war department in May were
satisfactory. The total number OF clerks ex-
passed, and of this number 353, or 80 per cent,
obtained an average above % per cent nifty
one, or per cent, failed to pass. their average
being less than 70 per cent.
The annual report Of Attorney General Gar
land gives full account of the business of
the Department of Justice during the last
fiscal year, together with statistics of crime
against the United States:
The number Of ordinary suits now pending in
sum OF Sl3, 100000 The number OF cases filed
under the Bowman act is !, $40, involving about
s50, 100000 The petitions filed in French spoil
alton cases number $500 representing 2,485
vessels and about $50 000,0 00 The amount
reported In favor Of claimants in eighty
one of these cases passed upon is about
S425, 900, varying from 500 to s45,318. Dur
ing the last fiscal year. 1,777 civil suits were
terminated. In 922 Of these judgments were for
were appealed from the District TO the Circuit
Court, and IA from the Circuit Court TO the SUI
preme Court. There were pending July /, 4,c54
civil suits, in which the United States was a
party. During the year there were 12,907
criminal prosecutions, mostly for viola
tons Of customs and internal revenue
laws. The Attorney General calls atten-
ton to the suggestions and recon-
mendations made by him in his last annual
report in regard to matters calling for remedial
legislation, and again urges the necessity Of
immediate action thereon. These subjects are
as follows: Fees Of Marshals in the Territories,
pay OF Deputy Marshals, revision OF the fee
bill, substitution of fiscal for calender year,
protection to civil officers and witnesses, fees of
witnesses and jurors, criminal procedure, per-
jury. and laws and juries in the District OF Co
lumbia.
FROM Secretary Whitneys annual report we
CLEAN that
:. Appropriations for the Navy Department for
the last fiscal year amounted to sl3 ls9, 900, and
the balance available at the end OF that period
was S93i 800 which had been reduced by Dec.
to Sl04,5 The appropriations for the current
fiscal year amount to s2O, ls2 U0J and the esti-
mates for the year ending June 80, 1889, to s23,-
$4,000. All the unarmored vessels au-
sno or. ey oonsress are completed or in in
contract cost OF their hulls and machinery
are; The dispatch vessel Dolphin, $780,
600; the protected crusier Boston. $4,000;
the protected cruiser Atlanta, $6l7, 900; the pro-
tected cruiser Chicago, Sss9, 600; the protected
cruiser Baltimore, 81, 325, 900; gunboat No.
cruiser, Si55, 0OO gunboat No. (cruiser), S247,
00J; the protected cruiser Newark, 81, 24s, O0j;
nrOteCtad 4
cruiser No. 8, 81 42s 900; gunboat No (cruiser),
$780, 900; gunboat No. (cruiser, S490, 100; dyna-
S5S COO torpsdo boat $50 s5o OF s; the
two armored vessels authorized by Congress
one is now being built by William John in En-
gland The completion Of the double-turoted
plant can furnish the arlnor. CT coast and
hnrbor defense, for which Congress appropri-
ated S20O0,0J0, the Secretary says little has
been done. Tho Secretary docs not believe in
repairing the singe-turreted monitors and
using them for coast defense. An examine
ton Of their characteristics" he says.
shows that outside OF the ships in our
own navy no antagonist could probably
be found against which they could
for their time, but are entirely Obsolete" and
he adds: at would be little less than murder
to send men in these at the present time to en-
counter any recently built ironclad lappreci-
ate fully that IL is only a temporary expedi-
ent that 1t is suggested, and with the thought
that in the absence Of anything else, these
the theory upon which over $50, O00.o 600 and
probably s75,0J0,0OO. has been spent since
4 and Se Sa ns oy With tbs stop
cry dollar Is made to count upon something
of real value, waste will STOP, and not before"
CONTRARY to usual custom, the annual re-
port OF tho Secretary Of the Treasury was
not sent TO Congress this year until the day
after the Presidents message mad been read
1t is Very lengthy paper, and we have space
for only a brief synopsis. The report shows
that the receipts of the Government for the
last fiscal year we're s57l, 4O3, 277, and tho ex-
penditures s3l5, S35, 423 There was an in
crease in the receipts of s34, 963, $50 over
those Of the preceding year, and the expendi-
lures were increased by s25, 4i9041. The
revenues for the present year are estimated
at 1888, 0C0, 0J0, and the expenditures at $780,
Sl7,7S5 The Secretary advises a reduction of
the customs duties on the lines suggested in
the Presidents message. The Score tary give,
three ways in which the receipts and expendi-
lures Of the Government may be made about
equal:
J. The purchase Of the interest bearing debt
OF OK the Governments z Larger expenditures by
chase Of bonds, so that they shall each year
equal the taxation OF that year. y. Reduction
actually required to meet necessary expenses
/ cannot believe that Congress will adopt the
second expedient, viz: The enlargement Of
Government expenses simply to expend money
raised by taxation when the public veal does
not otherwise call for the expenditure.
As to tho third plan, Mr.. Falrchild says
Reduction OF the revenue from taxation is
the only fit remedy for the evils which threaten
the country This may DO accomplished in va
rious ways. One is to reduce or abolish internal
revenue taxation. In favor Of this is the fact
that in a small part Of the Southern States the |
internal tax on liquors and tobacco is thought to
be oppressive and is odious TO the people Of |
those regions. and the further fact that by the |
reduction the expenses Of its collection might |
be somewhat reduced. The chief cause for the |
prejudice against this tax seems to be that as |
there was no such tax before the war for the |
Union it II looked upon as q reminder Of the |
measures adopted TO raise money to carry on |
the war, and which ought not to be continued |
in time Of peace. Taxation there must be. |
The choice is between kinds of taxation; each |
man can decide for himself, IL he will examine |
the subject free from prejudice, which is the |
least burdensome for him. for his family, and |
for his neighbors, and which is In the end |
better for his whole country. That in |
ternal taxation. of spirits and tobacco |
IL soould be done away with now, II It be In IT,
self wise. 30 the fact that the rates Of customs |
taxation were raised during the same war far |
been continued until now, ought not TO deter |
mine the manner OF their Treatment; this |
should rather depend upon what is just and ex- |
pedient at the present time Neither passion,
nor sentmentality should have place 1
In the consideration Of questions of taxation. |
As TO the expense Of collecting tho internal |
customs and internal revenue systems is entirely |
feasible. and that thereby n large number OF /
Offices might be abolished, and that the OK
pense o. tne whole system might De made not
the customs laws. Hut AZ 10 not we'll |
either 10 abolish or reduce acknowledgements |